Epstein-Barr virus BMRF-2 and BDLF-3 expression in hairy leukoplakia.
Hairy leukoplakia (HL) is a lesion found on the side of the tongue of immunocompromised individuals, including those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The lesion has unique histopathologic features and is characterised by high-level Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replication, multiple EBV strains, and extensive inter- and intra-strain recombination. Expression of EBV genes spanning the entire viral life cycle from latency-associated genes to late, replicative genes has been detected in the lesion. HL thus provides a unique opportunity to study EBV expression in oral epithelium, and to study expression of novel EBV genes. We therefore constructed a cDNA library from an HL biopsy and detected expression of two genes not previously described in vivo: BMRF-2 and BDLF-3. Sequence analysis of the cDNAs revealed few amino acid changes from the B95-8 sequence. Expression of both genes was localized to the lower prickle cell layer of the tongue epithelium. BMRF-2 protein expression was primarily detected in the cell nuclei of the upper prickle cell layer. BDLF-3 protein expression was observed in the peri-nuclear space and Golgi compartment. The function of these proteins is currently under investigation.
Palefsky
J M
JM
Department of Stomatology, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
Peñaranda
M E
ME
Pierik
L T
LT
Lagenaur
L A
LA
MacPhail
L A
LA
Greenspan
D
D
Greenspan
J S
JS
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000821:virology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000821:virology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
C109483:BDLF-3 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; C109482:BMRF-2 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014764:Viral Proteins